Restoring Faith
by Moonlit Aura
Summary: Waka and Amaterasu return to a Nippon changed and abbandoning the gods. As Amaterasu's power wanes, the two must restore the faith to the people, and a curse is pulled out into the open. Eventual AmmyWaka Eventual Human Amaterasu
1. Chapter 1

So here I am, writing an Okami fanfic. Why? Because the ending was left open, I thought Ameterasu and Waka would make a cute couple, I wondered how Ami looked as a human, and I couldn't find any fics for this awesome game. doesn't even have an Okami section! Sobs So here this goes!

Disclaimer: Check the game's credits. You will find my name nowhere in them.

Restoring Faith

Chapter 1

Okami Amaterasu sighed as she watched her companion attempt to get a room in the in at Kamiki. She glanced around, looking anywhere but the unfriendly face that was currently glaring at her blonde partner. The glare reminded her of how much time had passed.

"Look. We have the money. Are you going to give us a room or not?"

"I don't gotta give you nuthin'. I told ya, no dogs in my hotel. Get lost outsider!"

"Fine!"

Amaterasu silently padded after the now-grumbling blonde. She followed him as he stormed into the woods, and was not at all surprised when he suddenly turned his blade on her. She did not fight to defeat him, but simply held off his blows until he had worked of his anger.

Panting slightly the blonde landed, heavily but silently and collapsed on the ground next to the white wolf.

Amaterasu moved so that he could lean against her. He smiled gratefully, stroking her snow white fur.

"Sorry Ammy. I didn't mean to loose my temper, but that man! I swear I've never met a bigger jerk!" He smiled again as Amaterasu licked his cheek comfortingly. "I guess it's not a huge loss. I mean, we're used to sleeping under the stars. But I have to wonder what my ancestors think of me now. Waka, the last of the Moon Tribe, turned away from an inn for being in the company of a god!"

Amaterasu quietly gave a mournful howl. She understood Waka's frustration. After the final battle with Yami, the darkness, she and Waka had traveled far from Nippon, attempting to spread the word of the gods. But everywhere they had gone, there had been nothing but dishonesty and distrust. After a hundred year's travel, they had given up hope on the outside world and had returned to find solace in Nippon. But the hundred years had taken its toll on Nippon, and now it was just like the rest of the world.

Silently, Amaterasu made a single tree bloom, pink sakura petals giving her some solace. It was short lived however, as some called out "Who made that damn noise? Shaddup!"

Waka's look changed from one of anger to one of remorse. "What kind of world is this, that it can't receive a bloom tree with a smiling face?"

He sighed and wearily stood up. Amaterasu stood with him. She carefully watched the only being who had never abandoned the gods and a look of longing was painted across her face. It quickly vanished as he turned around.

"Well my friend, are you up for some hunting? We still need food."

Amaterasu gave a happy bark as she set off after the person who had become her whole world.

AN: First chapter done! No idea when the next one's coming out… Sweatdrops Oh well…

Review! Make the authoress happy!


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to _Earthy Greendragon_ and _PreseatheKitsune_ for being my first reviewers for my fic! Arigato! Hope you like the second chapter! Don't expect the next one up so soon, though. Who knows when I'll update? Sweatdrops I'll update fast for you guys if you review though. Anyways, on to chapter 2!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Restoring Faith

Chapter 2

"Gods…"

Amaterasu let out a pain-filled howl at the sight before her. Where Sakuya's tree had once stood, proud and tall, there was now what appeared to be a sea of waste. Trash littered the ground, and Amaterasu could see that all the grass had died.

Whining pitifully, Amaterasu pawed at the ground, searching for some sign that perhaps things weren't was bad as they seemed. Surely there was some plant life somewhere.

What she did find destroyed all her hopes, almost eliminating her faith in the human race.

Waka ran up to his friend, wondering what had disturbed her so. He found Amaterasu howling over a flute, one obviously made from the wood of Sakuya's tree, if the pink tint was anything to go by. Waka recognized the type. It was the type that every child got at their fifth festival, symbolizing the growth of the world. The flutes were to be treasured.

It had been obviously and cruelly snapped in half.

"We need to find out what happened. There's got to be some excuse for all of Nippon turning away from the gods. Got any ideas?" Waka looked down as Amaterasu barked once in response.

"How I wish you could speak…"

Amaterasu barked again, but this time the sadness behind it was easily noticeable. She wished she could speak too, if only to give Waka some true company. Oftentimes, especially when he was ridiculed for travel with a dog, she wondered how he saw their companionship.

She wondered if he had ever once hated her, for many times he had lost a room because the place would not allow dogs. She wondered if he ever felt stupid, talking to a white wolf like she was his equal, yet getting no response. And she wondered most of all how he saw her. Did he see her as a wolf? A god? A friend? Or something more, as she desperately wanted to be?

"I suppose we could see if the little green bug is still alive. I'm sure he, at least, will still be loyal to the gods."

Amaterasu blinked, coming out of her thoughts. It was a moment before Waka's word registered, but when they did she began to bark happily. Waka smiled at his friend's excitement.

"Then to Kamui we go."

Amaterasu worriedly looked over at her companion as he shivered from the cold. Unlike herself, Waka had no fur to protect himself from the freezing temperatures. While the temperature had improved a bit since the dispelling of Yami, it was nowhere near hospitable.

The wolf gave a worried whine as Waka shivered yet again and began to rub her fur against his thin leggings in hope that it might provide some warmth. Waka turned to smile at her but ended up accidentally coughing in her face.

"Sorry Ammy. Guess I'm getting a little cold." Waka glanced at Amaterasu to see her looking at him with concern. "Really! It's no big deal! So stop worrying."

Amaterasu gave him a disbelieving look before she began to search for a cave to spend the night in. The sooner she got Waka out of the blizzard, the less likely his "cold" would get worse. The last thing they needed was for him to get sick in the middle of Kamui, miles from anywhere.

Waka coughed again, but this time he stumbled from the force of coughs that wracked his body. Amaterasu whined again and began searching franticly. Waka's health was at stake.

To be continued…

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2 done! And I do believe it's longer than the first! My goal is to hopefully make each chapter longer than the last! Cheer me on!

Liked it? Hated it? Review and let me know!


	3. Chapter 3

Buries herself in the sand I'm REEEEALY sorry this took so long. I could blame it on school (yeah right) and lack of inspiration. And the fact that I rewrote the ending three times. But today I sat myself down and said: MA, you are going to finish this!

So here it is. I hope the ending doesn't sound too strained…

Anyway, on to Chapter 3!

Restoring Faith

Chapter 3

Amaterasu was terrified. After another hour Waka had collapsed. The white wolf had whined and pawed at her friend, but Waka hadn't stirred. The wolf had pulled the prophet onto her back and dashed off to find some sort of shelter.

That had been about twenty minutes ago. Amaterasu knew if she didn't find shelter soon, Waka would die.

Amaterasu nearly fainted with relief as she finally spied an indent in the rock. She quickly loped over to the entrance of the cave and, after determining that it was big enough, made her way inside.

The opening was not a simple cave, as she had thought, but a twisting tunnel that led deep into the rock. In a way she was grateful: now they wouldn't be covered in snow if the wind shifted.

Eventually the tunnel opened into a large cavern and it was here that Amaterasu halted, carefully lowering Waka to the ground. She bent to examine him and was pleased to notice a faint pink in his cheeks.

Hoping that he would be okay without her, Amaterasu headed back out of the cave to gather wood. Though she was hesitant to leave him alone in the condition he was in, the white wolf was realistic enough to realize that her body heat alone would not be enough.

After giving the unconscious Waka a lick of assurance, Amaterasu padded silently into the cold.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The crackling of the fire was starting to annoy Waka. He lay still for a few moments as his body tried to tell his mind that it needed more rest but his mind decided that no, it wasn't tired and no, it didn't want to go back to sleep. And so, with a groan, Waka pushed himself upright.

He was forced to close his eyes almost immediately to quell the dizziness. Waka focused on breathing as he attempted to re-orient himself. After a time, he opened his eyes again and examined his surroundings.

He was lying next to the sparking fire and as he gazed across the flames, he saw a dark, twisting tunnel winding through the rocks. A mouth-watering smell filled his nose and he turned to inspect the meat cooking on sticks near the fire. A sure sign Ammy had been around.

Speaking of which, Waka was sure he could hear his partner's quiet barks from the tunnel. The prophet turned towards the tunnel, bracing himself for the imminent impact.

Not long after he was knocked to the ground by one goddess-turned-wolf who was methodically examining him. He struggled to get to regain his former sitting position.

"I'm fine. I said I'm FINE you crazy mutt!"

Amaterasu finally relented, allowing her human companion to rise from his position on the ground. Satisfied that Waka wasn't in any fatal condition, she drifted over to the fire where Waka finally noticed the man squatting, boiling something in a pot.

Settling his features into his best glare, Waka was about to question the man when the man rose, ladled something from the pot into a cup, and plopped down at his side, offering the cup.

"Drink this. It will help ease the chills."

Waka glared at the man cautiously, but trusted his partner's judgment. Blowing on the liquid to cool it down, Waka took his time examining the newcomer.

Now that the prophet could see his face, it was obvious that the man was of the Oina tribe, wearing the traditional mask. It made sense; no one else would be crazy enough to go out in this weather. No one, Waka amended, that didn't have a holy mission to accomplish. Waka glanced at Amaterasu, sitting by the fire, enjoying some of the cooked meat. It was something Waka always wondered about. Why didn't Ammy eat raw meat? All the other wolves seemed to.

Waka came to the conclusion that it was good that he didn't get sick often. His mind tended to wander too much.

Pulling his mind back track, Waka noticed the Oina tribesman staring at him with impatience. How he knew the man was impatient, Waka didn't know. It should have been hard to tell under that mask. Waka put it down to centuries of dealing with people.

It was at this point that Waka realized he still hadn't drunken the rapidly-cooling mixture in his hands. Embarrassed, he quickly downed it and set the cup on the ground beside him.

"I'm a medic from the Oina tribe."

Waka started at the sudden conversation. He knew, logically, that the man could talk, but the Oina didn't seem the type to start conversations.

"You should rest for a few days. The fever has gone down, but it's still there." The Oina continued to stare at him. That stare was quickly becoming unnerving. "The years have not been kind to the gods."

Waka swore he could feel the whiplash as he turned to stare at the medic.

"What?"

"The time of gods has gone." Waka could feel the distance from the man. "A new evil has come to this land. At first, the people believed Amaterasu would come to save them again. But the seasons passed and the wolf-god did not return. And so the people came to curse the gods and everything they stood for."

The man stood, gathered his belongings, and made to leave. He paused at the entrance of the tunnel.

"Perhaps with you the gods have come again."

Then he was gone. Waka heard a low whine from beside him and turned to pet the wolf comfortingly.

"It's alright, old friend. There's no way you could have known. We'll just have to do what we can now that we're here." He smiled as Amaterasu's ears perked in determination.

Waka carefully got to his feet and began to put out the fire. It was not long before Amaterasu realized his intentions and he was on the ground again, faced with a wolf-glare. Waka could practically see the goddess' thoughts through her eyes.

_He said to rest. You're not leaving yet!_

Waka glared at the goddess before dignifying her with a pout and fell back on the blankets. It was not long before he was asleep.

Amaterasu watched her partner for a bit before settling down by the fire. Her friend wasn't better, but he was recovering, and soon they would be on their way to Ponc'tan, home of the Poncles.

Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long. But I make no guarantees.

…What's really sad is that I know how annoying it is, waiting for author to update, yet I go ahead and do this anyway. I'm sorry.

Please review if you have the time. That button down there.Points


	4. Chapter 4

Yay! Chapter 4! Thanks goes out to all the reviewers for supporting my first multi-chaptered fic! Arigato gozaimasu! Special thanks to _dragonwolf maiden _for correcting my spelling of the Poncle village name. ::Hands _dragonwolf maiden _an Ammy plushie::

In response to people commenting on Ammy's nickname, remember that the pair has been together for a hundred years. There's going to be familiarity there and since Waka has heard Issun's name for Amaterasu, it's natural he would adopt it. Or at least I think so.

I'm thinking of looking for a beta that knows the Okami game. Any volunteers? Check out my profile for more details!

Now then. On to chapter 4!

Restoring Faith

Chapter 4

His life, Waka decided, had hit a new low.

After five days of rest, he and Ammy had set off for the Poncle village of Ponc'tan. It was brisk going until they had hit the forest. Yoshpet Forest was just as dense, if not more, as it had been a hundred years ago. After struggling through the increasingly thick undergrowth for hours and getting nowhere, the pair had broke down and gone looking for a guide.

Which explained why Waka was following a rabbit, which was supposedly was leading them to the village of the Poncle sprites. Except that it didn't.

Waka was about ready to skewer the annoying rodent when the wall of trees disappeared and the sun was as visible as it could be in Kamui. He followed the goddess as she approached a stump in the middle of a clearing. He stared as she stopped in front of the stump.

"Ammy? Wha…?"

Reflex caused him to draw his sword as something appeared in front of the white wolf. Upon closer examination, Waka found the object be a… rubber hammer?

The hammer floated over to Ammy and Waka watched as it tapped Amaterasu lightly on the head. The prophet blinked in shock as the goddess vanished, then began to back away as the mallet floated in his direction.

"Oh no you don't!"

Waka halted at the sound of a high-pitched squeak. He glanced around for the source of the sound, only to have his eyes drawn to the white speck by his feet.

"Ammy?" The white speck yipped in response.

Taking advantage of its target's distraction, the mallet had floated within bonking distance of the prophet. The man felt a light tap on his back and suddenly found himself looking at the normal size Amaterasu.

He cast a slight glare at the wolf, which was wolf-laughing at his confusion.

"I suppose you think this is funny, don't you? Mangy mutt…"

Amaterasu gave him a wolf-grin before leaping up to a hole it the stump, using the suddenly huge blades of grass as stairs. Waka grunted before climbing up after her.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Amaterasu was puzzled. The haven of Ponc'tan had not been near as crowded when she had last visited. She had to walk carefully to avoid tripping over a small Poncle child and getting berated by its overprotective mother.

She leaped to the side as yet another Poncle came barreling towards her. She sighed. This was taking far too long. Fortunately, the house that had once been occupied by Ishaku, but which she hoped now housed the annoying Celestial Envoy she had grown so fond of.

Waka glanced at his lupine companion as they came to a halt at one of the many houses. Amaterasu gave him a look, and he obediently knocked on the door.

"Go away! I'm busy!"

Waka frowned as he recognized the voice. That damn bug could be so _annoying_. Amaterasu growled at him though, so he knocked again.

"I said I'm busy! Leave me alone you damn busybodies!"

Waka knocked for what he _swore_ was the final time when he heard someone moving around inside the dwelling.

"Fine, fine, I'm coming. Bet you'll leave me alone once I stick my sword through your chest..." The grumbling steadily got louder.

Waka stepped to the side as the door was opened and a sword was stabbed at the air where he had just been standing. A semi-familiar head poked around the open door.

"Who's there?"

There was a squawk as the Poncle was tacked by an overly-excited wolf goddess.

"Oi! Get off me, ya mangy… Ammy?"

The wolf yipped in response, climbing off her old companion so he could get to his feet. Issun stood, brushing dirt off his clothes. A smile broke across his face.

"Good to see ya, furball!" He glanced at Waka. "What are ya doing with the half-baked prophet Ammy? You shoulda ditched him a while ago."

Waka bristled in response. "Better than a would-be painter who gave up on his dream!"

Issun started towards the prophet. "Take that back you…!"

The impending fight was avoid as the pair was halted by a commanding bark. They turned to see Amaterasu glaring at the both of them. They threw a last glare at each other before following the goddess inside the house, Issun closing the door behind him.

Waka followed the sprite as he led them to the sitting room. Amaterasu plopped down on the floor with a huff and Waka perched in one of the squashy chairs. The painter gave the prophet a final look-over before addressing the traveling pair.

"As much as I wish this was just a meeting of acquaintances," he glared at Waka, "I suppose you're here for something."

Waka remained silent until the goddess nudged his foot from her position on the floor. She graced him with a '_talk NOW!_' look. Waka sighed. Now was one of those times when he REALLY wished Amaterasu could talk. He hated dealing with the bug.

"We're here for information. We arrived in Nippon not long ago and found the land completely changed. Then we met an Oina who said something about the people abandoning the gods. What's happened?"

The sprite sighed. "I wish I could tell you it's nothing big, but that would be lying. I guess I should start from the beginning.

"We had peace for a while. No monsters, no fighting. After a while though, a few monsters started to pop up. A few here, a few there, nothing too big. Susano took care of most of them. Then he died and the monsters increased. Since there was no one to fight them, they sotra… took over."

Issun gestured out the window. "That's when all the Poncles moved back to Ponc'tan. It's the only true safe place in all of Nippon. Even Sakuya's trees didn't last long…"

"We've seen it," Waka replied shortly. Issun nodded.

"Yeah. After the Guardian Saplings were destroyed, Sakuya was forced to leave too. Anyway, it was around this time that it was revealed that the monsters had been lying in wait, because not long after Sasuano's death, tons of monsters appeared. More than I've ever seen."

"We've seen no monsters since our arrival," Waka protested.

"They all probably sensed Ammy's celestial powers and steered clear." Issun casually waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "Guess even monsters have some common sense.

"People prayed to the gods for help, of course. They'd all heard the story of the goddess in the form of a white wolf that had once restored peace to the land. The people believed the goddess would return and drive out the monsters. But she didn't."

Amaterasu whimpered, ears and tail drooping. Waka bent down and rubbed the goddess between the ears, offering what comfort he could.

"After a couple of years," the artist continued, "this guy showed up, killing most of the monsters and accusing the gods of allowing their people to suffer."

Issun stood, strode over to a table, and began shifting papers and scrolls aside. "Think I got a picture of the guy somewhere…" Eventually he straightened up, parchment clutched triumphantly in his hand. He placed it on the table before Waka.

"Here it is. Guy's name is Sasori. Creepy lookin' fella, isn't he?"

Amaterasu placed her front paws on the table and pulled herself up to see. The man painted on the parchment had long black hair and a warm, comforting smile. He seemed to be waving to a large crowd, seen in the background.

However, as the wolf examined the picture further, she felt her lips pull back in an involuntary snarl. The man's eyes did not match his kind smile. There was death in those eyes, eyes the deep red color of blood.

The prophet took one glance at the red eyes. "Those eyes are the sign of a demon."

Issun shook his head. "Nah. I painted that picture. Double and triple checked him after I noticed the eyes. He's human, through and through. Definitely involved in demon activity though."

Waka's eyes narrowed in thought. "You think he's the source of the demon activity?"

"Probably."

"Did you get any more information on this guy?"

Issun grew thoughtful. "Well, his headquarters are in Sei-An City. That's protected by a barrier though. Oh! And he's got a strange affinity with ravens."

Amaterasu started at the mention of the ravens. Waka glanced down at his partner.

"Ammy? Do you know something about this Sasori guy?"

Amaterasu looked troubled, but shook her lupine head. Waka turned back to the Poncle.

"You said there was a barrier around the castle?"

The sprite nodded. "Yeah. Officially it's there to keep monsters out, but the truth is it keeps EVERYTHING with high energy levels out, weather it's celestial or demonic."

"There's no way to destroy it?" the prophet pressed the sprite.

"Well…" Issun trailed off, "I've heard that Lady Otohime knows a lot about barriers…"

"Then it's there next," said Waka decisively. "Well leave tomorrow morning."

"Good," Issun replied. "Gives me enough time to get my supplies together."

Waka got a bad feeling. "Your… Supplies…?"

The sprite grinned. "'Course! I'm coming with ya! Couldn't let Ammy go off on her own and all that. Besides, who wants to be stuck alone with YOU all the time?"

Amaterasu gave a bark of joy as Waka threw a death glare at the artist. Issun's grin only grew wider.

"You can stay here for tonight. We'll move out early tomorrow. And prophet…" Issun glanced over his shoulder from the doorway. "Try to give us USEFUL prophesies for a change, will ya?"

Waka resisted the urge to strangle the bug, as Ammy chortled good naturedly. Outside the safe heaven of Ponc'tan, the sunset shone red and orange.

To be continued…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Gods I hated this chapter! But look! It's long! (Well, longer anyway…) And there was less time between updates! Go me! And Issun has appeared, some of the plot's been revealed, and there's foreshadowing!

Review please! They're what keeps me going when inspiration vanishes!


	5. Chapter 5

I'm SOOOO sorry this took so long! Between camps and the summer project that came back to bite me in the butt I've had no time to write. Hopefully the next chapter won't take near as long.

On a better note, Okami finally has its own section::Dances:: Yea!

I'm sure you don't want to hear me ramble. Now, onto the fic!

Restoring Faith

Chapter 5

'I will not squash the bug,' Waka thought to himself. 'Amaterasu will be cross with me if I squash the annoying, insolent bug. Even if he's been provoking me for the past three days.'

It wasn't working.

Glancing up, Waka caught the obscene gesture that Issun tossed his way from the safety of the wolf goddess's back. Waka growled under his breath and prayed that Amaterasu would forgive him for what he was about to do…

Amaterasu gave a yip and broke into a run as the trio approached the Ryoshima coastline. Waka breathed deeply, relishing in the fresh sea air that filled his lungs. He smiled as Amaterasu played in the grass like a pup. It was comforting to see that, in a world so devoid of faith, the beauty of the sea still remained.

Waka sat down in the sand and gazed out across the sea. He picked out each the islands that floated like gulls upon its surface. There was a slight weight on his knee and he glanced down at the Poncle who also gazed across the ocean.

"It's not there."

Waka looked down, startled, as Amaterasu trotted up to their side. The goddess too gave the sea a glance before huffing in affirmative.

"What's not there?" Waka asked reluctantly.

The Poncle replied without turning, though Waka could hear the smirk in his voice. "I dunno prophet. Why don't you tell me?"

Waka glowered at the artist, who stared back. Amaterasu barked sharply and Issun answered Waka's question.

"To get to the undersea kingdom, we took a whirlpool on the back of a dolphin. The whirlpool is gone. So we need to figure out a way to reopen it. But how…"

Waka bit back laughter as Amaterasu snorted at the Poncle's musings.

"You makin' fun of me or somethin' Ammy?" Issun snapped.

The white wolf snorted, gestured with her head at the sky, and drew in the sand. Issun hopped down from his seat on Waka's knee to examine them. The prophet took the opportunity to look at the markings. They were nothing he recognized.

They meant something to Issun obviously, as he smacked his forehead and then shook his head.

"Now I just feel stupid. I must be getting old."

It crossed Waka's mind that the artist was the youngest of them, but he kept the thought to himself, choosing instead to wait for the Poncle to explain.

"What Ammy reminded me of," said Issun, addressing the prophet, "was that we could simply get to the whirlpool the way we did the first time, which involves the Celestial brush. We'll have to wait for nightfall though."

Waka pondered this for a moment.

"We'll have to be careful," he said finally. "That much Celestial energy is bound to be picked up by any monsters near by, or even by a human who knows what to look for," his gaze turned to Sei-An City, "if you catch my drift."

The Poncle hummed in agreement.

"The guy's paranoid. He's bound to have set up all sorts of alarms. So once Ammy's done the brush thing, we've gotta move fast. Which means we gotta find that dolphin. It used to appear at the dock every morning, but I'm sure that's not the case now." The Poncle turned to his lupine companion. "Whatdya think Ammy?"

The wolf responded by purposefully trotting onto the rocking sea and looking back at her friends. Waka got the idea immediately.

"So we'll ride on you and to trust luck that we survive? Not the best plan you've ever had, if you know what I mean."

The goddess huffed and threw him a look that plainly said _'And you have a better idea?'_

"We've got no other choices," said Issun, vocalizing Amaterasu's feelings. "For now, we should just settle down and wait for sunset."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Waka fed more wood to the fire as Amaterasu enjoyed the fruits of her labor beside him. Issun sat a little further off, absorbed in his painting. Waka scrutinized the sky above him and picked out the first stars in the dimming sky. It would be time to move soon.

Silently he got up, banked the fire, and moved about the temporary campsite, gathering his things. The tasks were soon completed and the prophet was left to fidget with impatience, glancing at the sky constantly.

Amaterasu, sensing his impatience, quickly finished her dinner and settled her weapons on her back. She trotted over to the nearest open area and stood waiting. Waka, sensing the idea, followed her and drew his blade. With a roar he leapt at the goddess.

As the duo parried, Waka lost himself in the dance of the battle, stress draining away as he smoothly dodging all the strikes his lupine friend threw at him. It was a ritual they had engaged in many times over the course of their travels, more often than Waka would have liked.

Waka matched Amaterasu stroke for stroke and didn't notice the darkening surroundings. It was Issun who called the halt.

"Cool it you two! It's almost time!"

Waka slid his sword back in its sheath before hefting his bag on his back. He strode to the top of the ruins where Issun and Amaterasu waited for him.

The group stood, gazing up at the stars. Waka started as he felt a flash of Celestial energy. Amaterasu quickly pulled him on her back and leapt off the cliff towards the sea as the prophet heard the howls of monsters behind them. Risking a glance back, Waka caught sight of a horde of demons racing after them.

The sea had opened and the palace of the Dragonians was visible. Waka could see people leaving the palace, pointing towards the sky. Amaterasu only touched the surface of the sea once before she plunged into the whirlpool.

"Hurry and close the ocean!" Issun yelled at the Dragonians as they landed. The waves poured in, covering the entrance to the sea floor. Waka heard the monsters howl in disappointment.

"We won't be able to go back that way," he remarked. "They'll be waiting."

Issun grunted.

"Lady Otohime isn't stupid. She'll have more than one way to get out of here."

Waka hummed in agreement as they were led inside the palace. They were left in the throne room as their escort left to fetch Otohime. Waka took the chance to examine the underwater sanctuary.

He'd heard of the place, of course. However, he'd never seen a need to visit the Dragonians heaven, even if he could. There were no monsters there and at the time he was preoccupied with righting his wrongs.

The prophet was brought out of his musings as the queen of the Dragonians entered with her guard. Upon seeing her visitors, the queen quickly waved off her guards and dismissed her attendants. When the room was empty she turned to the travelers.

"Issun! Amaterasu! And…" Her voiced trailed off.

Waka bowed. "Waka, of the Moon Tribe. It is my pleasure to meet you, Lady Otohime."

Otohime frowned.

"The same member of the Moon Tribe who killed the Celestials, crashed the Ark of Yamato, and released evil onto the world of man?"

Waka winced. He'd tried for years to repair the destruction caused by his mistakes, but he had known that it wouldn't fixed everything. Amaterasu rubbed up against his leg in an attempt to comfort him. The gesture, while not necessarily successful, was appreciated.

Waka was surprised when the Poncle artist came to his defense.

"Look here! I don't like the prophet and I don't make a secret of the fact," Issun exclaimed furiously from atop Amaterasu's head, "but even I'm willing to admit that he's done his part in destroying the evil released from the Ark of Yamato! There's no reason why you should hold any resentment against him!"

Otohime was unmoved by his words.

"I cannot forgive what he has done. It has cost many of my people and my husband. However, I shall be reasonable. He may stay here for this meeting, but afterwards he may never besmirch my kingdom with his presence again."

Amaterasu growled in her throat as Otohime spoke. She glanced up at her friend who was simply taking the abuse. When the Dragonian Queen had finished the prophet bowed to her, murmuring thanks for her kindness. 

"Now, Amaterasu, Issun, what is your purpose here?"

Waka was stung by her obvious omission of his name, and the hint was clear. Otohime was willing to deal with the wolf goddess and the Poncle but the failure of Moon Tribe was not to say anything.

"Now that Ammy here is back," Issun began, "we believe that now is the time to strike against that Sasori guy. He's in cahoots with demons, isn't he?"

Otohime nodded. "Yes. He has made a deal with, and is possessed by a demon known as the Monster Raven." Amaterasu shifted at the name. "Are familiar with this demon, Amaterasu?"

Amaterasu looked up at her allies sadly but neither confirmed nor denied anything.

"We'll worry about the demon latter." Issun drew the discussion back to the subject at hand. "There's a barrier around Sei-An City and you, Lady Otohime, are said to be a barrier expert. How can we destroy the barrier?"

Otohime grew thoughtful. "Well, I've read that the barrier is comprised of four different seals, and each has a corresponding key that unlocks it. If you unlock all four seals, the barrier falls. Each key represents part of the Monster Raven: there's the Raven's Feather, the Raven's Claw, Raven's Beak, and the Raven's Eye."

"Are those literal descriptions?" Issun asked.

Otohime laughed. "I doubt it, otherwise they'd be pretty hard to get a hold of and it's been done before. The four keys will probably be hidden better this time. Also," here she grew serious, "I've read that normal weapons cannot affect the Monster Raven. They must be bathed in the tears of the father of the Gods, Izanagi-sama."

At this Amaterasu turned and dashed out of the audience chamber, Waka quickly following, leaving Issun to talk with Otohime.

Waka came upon his friend in one of the many coral gardens surrounding the palace. She was sitting next to a rock pool, gazing into space. Waka approached quietly, sitting silently beside her. When it was clear that Amaterasu would make no move, Waka spoke up quietly.

"Izanagi-sama is your father, correct?"

Amaterasu started, having not heard her companion's approach. She eventually nodded.

Waka glanced over at the wolf goddess. Ears drooped, shoulders hunched, the goddess was the image of misery.

"And I take it the two of you did not have the best of partings?"

The white wolf snorted and rolled her eyes. That was such a huge understatement.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Amaterasu shook her head once. Her father was her problem. She would deal with it when she had to and no sooner.

"We should probably check on the bug and see if Lady Otohime has any more information for us."

Amaterasu glared at Waka for insulting the Poncle but got to her feet and started towards the palace nonetheless.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Waka almost stepped on the artist, who was waiting near the palace entrance, but the Poncle's reflexives allowed him to hop away just in time. (Regretfully, Waka thought to himself.)

"Watch where you're stepping, ya half-baked prophet! Ya almost squashed me!"

"Pity I missed."

Issun's hopping increased with his anger, but Amaterasu simply scooped thee Poncle up in her mouth. She quickly spit him out, and Issun's temper had a new target.

"I'm not food, fuzball!"

Amaterasu growled before turning her nose up at the drool-covered sprite. Waka finally gave into his laughter as Issun scowled at them both. The damp mood lifted.

"I hate you all."

Amaterasu chortled along with the prophet. Eventually the laughter ceased and Waka turned their thoughts back to the matter at hand.

"Did Lady Otohime have any more pertinent information?"

"Nah." Issun shrugged his shoulders. "Just that she had no idea where the keys are. Which was kinda obvious to begin with."

Waka was nodding his agreement when a sharp erupted around his temples.

_A shrine gate. Rubble. A sense of terror. A sword standing tall amidst the destruction. A solitary feather._

When Waka came to, he was lying on the ground, Amaterasu peering worriedly down at him. He reached up to rub the goddess between the ears before hauling himself to his feet.

"I'm alright. I just had a vision."

Issun snorted. "Never happened when you gave us one of them weirdo prophecies."

"It's been… harder… to receive the gods recently."

Waka quieted, and while Amaterasu knew how the subject affected her friend, she needed to know the contents of the vision.

Waka hesitantly explained what he had seen. Issun and Amaterasu shared a glance at the mention of the sword.

"That's gotta be Tsukiyomi, in the Moon Shrine."

Waka nodded his agreement.

"And the feather?" Issun asked.

"My visions are never entirely clear. The feather could be an actual feather or it could simply be a representation of the Raven's Feather."

"Whatever it is, we know somethin's going on at ol' Orochi's place. Let's head there."

Issun hopped back up onto Amaterasu, nestling amongst her fur, as the wolf goddess followed Waka to the surface.

To be continued…

AN: I've got band camp next week, so I'm not sure how much writing I'll be able to do. I'll take Chapter 6 with me, but… We'll see.

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Writing this chapter, I realized how few characters from the game I am able to use, due to most of them probably being dead. So a few OCs may show up, but they will never be that important. Please don't let that turn you off.

I also realized, planning ahead and all, that this fic is going to be a monster. So bear with me, and I'll try my best not to abandon it. ('Cause I HATE it when authors do that!)

Thank you greatly for the reviews. They really keep me going. (If only because they keep me from forgetting about this fic. ::Sweatdrops::)

Anyway, enough jabbering! MA proudly presents Restoring Faith: Chapter 6!

Beta Note: And I'll make sure she doesn't give up. If she does I'll seriously clobber her with a fork.

::Whimpers:: I'll finish it! I hope…

Restoring Faith

Chapter 6

Waka glared after a pickpocket as the boy slunk away, deterred. The trio had decided to stop at Kusa Village for lunch and supplies. One hundred years had not been kind to the town of the Divine Wind. The once quaint and peaceful village had turned into a haven for those who didn't wish to be found.

Waka glanced behind him, checking on Amaterasu, who was trailing morosely behind him. The goddess seemed listless, and Waka was growing worried. At the moment the lack of the Divine Wind could be blamed, but if her dark mood continued after they left…

The prophet turned away from this train of thought as he began haggling with one of the few semi-honest looking merchants in the plaza.

Eventually Waka ended up paying the man double what his purchases were worth, instead of the original four times the merchant had asked. The prophet rubbed his temples as the merchant greedily accepted the money, a crooked smile on his face. He had a migraine coming on…

Turning from the vendor, Waka glanced around for his lupine companion. When she remained conspicuously absent, Waka shoved his way into the crowd.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A half-hour later, Waka had left worried and was quickly approaching panicked. He had searched the central plaza, the shrine, and the newly-created slums. He was currently treading the path down to the bamboo artist's house.

The prophet was startled as a gentle laugh mixed with happy yips drifted up from the path before him. He increased his pace and was soon presented with a rejuvenated goddess-turned-wolf dancing around a young woman in a bamboo headdress. Waka loped quickly down the remainder of the path and, upon reaching the wayward goddess, proceeded to scold her thoroughly.

"Ammy, as much I love your mischief, disappearing on me like that is going too far. How was I to know where you were? You could have been kidnapped, or killed, or-…"

The girl cut off his rant by speaking quietly as he paused to breathe.

"I'm terribly sorry. I saw her in the market place and thought it would be a good time to re-unite with an old friend. I'm sorry if I was a bother…"

"Don't apologize to the half-baked prophet, toots," Issun piped up from Amaterasu's head, "he's the one that should be apologizing. Constantly trying to step on me…" he grumbled.

Waka ignored the Poncle with practiced ease, choosing instead to study the fidgeting girl before him. He sized her up for a few moments before fixing her with a lesser glare, feeling a bit silly.

"And you are?" he enquired.

The girl jumped at the sudden address.

"Um… I'm Kaguya, granddaughter of the former bamboo-ware master…"

"And you say you know Amaterasu? You can't be more than…," Waka studied the girl, "sixteen, eighteen at the oldest. We've been gone for longer than that. How could you possibly know her?"

Kaguya glanced at the ground.

"I'm not… entirely human," she began nervously. Amaterasu rubbed reassuringly against the girl's side. "I am of a race of people that lived on the moon. I came to Nippon as a baby and the bamboo cutter found me among the shoots and raised me as his granddaughter."

"About a hundred years ago, Grandfather and I met the divine Amaterasu. She and her sprite companion helped me to learn about my past and to return to the moon."

"When I got there, it was… dead…" Kaguya shivered at the memories and the white wolf pressed even closer. The moon girl's hand fisted in Amaterasu's fur, taking strength from the goddess's presence.

"There was a great city there, a wondrous city. But there were no people. It was like everyone had vanished," Kaguya shivered again, "It was horrible."

"They left fleeing the bloodshed of the Celestial Plain."

Amaterasu's ears perked up in curiosity as Kaguya and Issun stared at the prophet in shock.

Waka laughed at the shock on their faces. It was a bitter sound.

"How soon we forget, my little bouncing friend, that I was once a proud warrior of the Moon tribe."

Issun looked as though someone had smacked him with a fish while Kaguya perked up in interest.

"Really? Could you tell me about them?"

Waka shifted under the hope-filled gaze.

"I'm not the person to ask," he replied shortly, "I was banished from the Tribe after the Death of the Celestials and I haven't been back since."

Waka whirled about and strode quickly out of the clearing. Amaterasu followed worriedly behind him but the Poncle bounced to Kaguya's shoulder.

"Sorry he brushed you off like that, babe, but he's pretty touchy about the subject, especially recently. You understand, right sweetie?"

Kaguya nodded, peering worriedly after the vanished duo.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Amaterasu had been shocked at Waka's quick retreat and, after loosing him in the bamboo thickets, had resigned herself to tracking her friend by scent.

Soon beautiful flute tones drifted to her ears and the white wolf quickly traced them back to their source.

Waka was draped in the limbs of a weeping willow. His flute was pressed to his lips and a melancholy melody drifted from the instrument. It was almost as is the prophet's music reflected his soul.

Amaterasu swiftly climbed the tree and settled on a limb below Waka's. She sat in silence, listening as the music approached its climax, then tumbled from the peak into rest in silence.

As the flute dropped into Waka's lap, Amaterasu leapt up to join her friend. The prophet smiled bitterly at her, before burying his face in the wolf's soft white fur.

"I thought I was over this by now."

Amaterasu turned her head and pressed it reassuringly against her friend's shoulder.

"I _should_ be over this by now. But after Otohime, and then this…" Waka sighed.

Amaterasu had never loathed her wolf form as she did now. She longed to be able to chase away the doubts and fears possessing her friend. She yearned to be able to calm him with her words. She wished (oh how she wished!) to be able to wrap him in her arms and shield him from the world.

But she was a wolf, and so she offered her soft fur as a form of comfort. Waka clung to her for a few moments longer before raising himself up. Amaterasu took the opportunity to give his face a gentle lick.

Waka smiled, truly smiled, and leapt down from the tree. Amaterasu followed swiftly after and the pair began to make their way back to the bamboo cutter's clearing.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Kaguya and Issun were in deep discussion when the goddess and the prophet returned. As they Poncle and the moon girl heard the approaching footsteps, their conversation ceased and they turned expectantly to the bamboo thicket.

As Waka emerged, Kaguya got to her feet and bowed deeply.

"I'm terribly sorry that I have dragged up unwanted memories. I truly didn't mean any harm."

Waka took a breath to stable himself before smiling gently.

"It is alright, cousin. Perhaps someday I will tell you of our people."

Kaguya blinked, then voiced, "Cousin?"

Waka nodded. "We of the Moon Tribe are all related, though perhaps not directly."

A peaceful silence fell over the clearing. And, as usual, it was Issun who ended it.

"Sorry you're related to the half-baked prophet, babe. You're a million times better than him."

Waka flicked a rock at the Poncle, causing his aura to change from green to red.

"Why you-!"

Amaterasu, having come in behind Waka, trotted over to Kaguya and rested her head on her paws to observe the habitual bickering between man and sprite. She called a halt to the fighting, however, when Issun drew his sword.

"Say that to my face, prophet!"

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can bend that low."

Issun leapt at the prophet, only to be caught in the jaws of an annoyed wolf goddess. Issun squirmed for a few moments before the goddess spat him out on the ground. Issun glared and began to rant, but was silenced by an angry growl. Kaguya looked on, amused.

Waka turned back to Kaguya, wiping all traces of the former argument from his face. He gave the girl a complicated bow.

"And now, cousin, we shall take our leave. We have far to go, so we'd best get started."

Kaguya looked surprised before dashing back into the house.

"Wait a moment! I have something I wish to give you," she called.

A few minutes later she emerged carrying a pendulum.

"This is one of the last works of my grandfather. It is a pendulum that is attracted to sources of large demonic energy. I hope it will aid you in your quest."

Waka took the object and examined it.

"It will be extremely useful, cousin. We are searching out four demonic objects in order to destroy a great evil. We will make use of your gift."

Kaguya smiled before holding out something else.

"Also, please take this with you. Warriors can't journey on an empty stomach, after all."

Waka laughed before gratefully accepting the bento(1) held out to him. Issun perched dreamily atop Amaterasu's head, images of the delicious meal to come dancing in his mind. Amaterasu herself let out a bark of gratitude.

Kaguya bent down to wrap the wolf goddess in a hug before placing a kiss on the cheek of her kin. She patted Issun gently on the head, and the trio promptly set out, hoping to make it to the Agata Forest by nightfall.

To be continued…

(1)Bento boxed lunches

So, a whole lot of nothing happened this chapter. Kaguya popped up, some more Ammy/Waka bonding, and Issun and Waka fighting (again). I'm sorry the plot isn't particularly fast-paced, but the fluff makes up for that, ne?

Also, I hope nobody minds that I made Waka and Kaguya (distantly) related. The way I figure it, Waka is from the MOON Tribe and Kaguya is from the MOON, so they might possibly be of the same people. Also, they both have blond hair. (Yeah, that was lame.)

As always, please review! It keeps the authoress going!


	7. Chapter 7

::Does a dance:: Yay! Restoring Faith has passed the 50 review mark! Many thanks to everyone whose read and/or reviewed. I love you all!

It was my goal to finish this before my birthday (Oct. 3) and somehow I managed to do it. So here's Chapter 7, my birthday present to myself!

Restoring Faith

Chapter 7

Waka gazed sadly at the wreckage of what had once been his home. Rotting wood and climbing vines were all that was left of the shrine that Mika had tended in his absence. While he had not spent much time at the shrine, preferring instead to be in the midst of all the gossip in the capital city, it had nonetheless been a place of happiness and memories.

It had been relaxing to return from a hard mission and find Mika had collected another dozen or so stray animals as 'pets'. (Even if Waka did force the priest to release most of them.) And there had been the time when Mika had almost burned the shrine down trying to boil water (the priest being horribly inept at cooking), and the time when Mika had panicked because he had ruined a load of Master Waka's clothes by dying them all green…

Waka's grin, which had appeared during his stroll through the many 'episodes' of his past, dropped from his face. He silently wondered what had happened to the loveable, clumsy priest. From the looks of the shrine, Mika was long gone, and had been for decades. Waka could only pray that Mika had departed long before Sasori's coming,

Turning from the depressing scene, Waka strode purposefully towards the Moon Cave.

Amaterasu watched the prophet go silently. She could feel that the destruction of the shrine had been a hard blow for her friend. She had felt something like it when she had seen the destruction of Sakuya's tree. However, she had not stayed long enough to create memories like Waka undoubtedly had of this place.

Amaterasu remembered the funny little priest that had lived in the shrine when she and Issun had been traveling. The goddess could not help wondering what had happened to him.

The wolf goddess glanced in Waka's direction before summoning the powers of her Celestial Brush. Using the Bloom technique, the area that had held the destroyed shrine soon became a beautiful clearing.

Waka, feeling the surge of Celestial energy, turned back to watch the goddess work. He smiled at the results.

"Thank you, my friend." Mika would have liked this, he thought. Mika loved flora, even if he failed grow anything of his own.

Amaterasu yipped quietly before trotting to the prophet's side. Waka glanced down at the white wolf, making out Issun nestled, sleeping, amongst the soft fur. That explained the silence…

Together man and wolf made their way to the remains of Orochi's lair.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Waka wiped the sweat from his face as he rested on one of the larger rocks protruding from the lava that surrounded Orochi's lair.

Amaterasu and Issun had been surprised at the state of the place. From what the Poncle had said, Waka had guessed the area had not looked as it did now on the pair's last trip. Waka himself was not surprised. With as many monsters as there were roaming about, it should have been expected that some would have settled down in the eight-headed demon's lair. It was an ideal habitat for demons.

It seemed, however, that the new inhabitants had disliked the crystal caves, replacing them with the lava pools they were currently traversing. Waka hoped the creature was strangled by its own organs.

Waka glanced over to where Amaterasu was walking across the lava. The goddess had replaced the Water Tablet with the Fire tablet and was finding the crossing easy. Issun had remarked how nice of change this was. Last time _they_ had had to leap from rock to rock. It was _undignified_.

Waka had _accidentally_ flicked some of the molten rock in the artist's direction. Issun had NOT been amused.

Waka breathed a sigh of relief as he spotted solid ground ahead. He had no trouble crossing the rocks, of course, but the whole area was unbelievably hot.

Remembering Kamui, Waka wondered what he had done to deserve this. And laughed at the irony.

Waka landed silently on the burnt earth, Amaterasu trotting up beside him. Waka drew his blade as the trio entered the main hall.

Immediately the found themselves set upon by a pair of imps. Waka destroyed the first with a few swings of his sword while Amaterasu dispatched the second with her glaive. The pair leapt for the shadows as soon as the imps crumpled, using the opportunity to observe.

The hall was filled with demons. Waka feared that they would not be able to reach the remains of Orochi without fighting every demon in the place.

"That's a lotta demons," Issun stated. Waka rolled his eyes.

"And what should we do about it? Should we try to avoid them?"

Issun bounced with excitement.

"No way! I've missed kickin' demon butt. Hey Ammy! It'll be just like the old days! Leap before ya think and all that!"

Waka stared in amazement as Amaterasu yipped happily in response. The goddess's tailed wagged and her eyes sparkled in a way that Waka had not seen in years. An evil feeling burned in his belly as he watched Amaterasu and Issun interact. He shuddered at the feeling, tried to deny it, refused to name it. For the time being, he pushed it to the back of his mind, to be examined later.

The prophet gave himself a mental shake. Amaterasu was now gazing in his direction, waiting for his approval. Waka sighed.

"I suppose there's no talking you out of it. Just… don't get in over your head. It would be troublesome if I had to rescue the bug."

Issun pouted before drawing his sword. Amaterasu crouched, tense, before leaping for the nearest monsters. Waka watched from the sidelines. He would, of course, interfere if necessary, but he wouldn't spoil their fun.

The white wolf had, by now, defeated the first batch of enemies. Issun had left the safety of her fur, choosing instead to search the imp corpses for anything of value.

The Poncle was cackling over his treasures. Hearing a warning bark from Amaterasu, Issun glanced over his shoulder. His vision was obscured by an approaching imp. The Poncle closed his eyes and braced himself for the incoming attack.

Amaterasu raced for her friend, hoping to reach him in type. As the imp raised its weapon, the wolf let out a grief-filled howl.

After a few moments, Issun, feeling no pain, cracked open one eye. Waka was standing before him, blade drawn, dead imp at his feet.

Issun was frozen in shock as Amaterasu approached them. The goddess quickly examined the Poncle before covering the small artist with happy licks. It was enough to snap Issun out of his daze.

"Why did you…?"

Waka wiped the blood from his sword and replaced it in its sheath before replying.

"I may not like you, but that's no reason to want you dead. Besides, Ammy would be displeased with me." Waka glanced at the Poncle over his shoulder. "You're so troublesome, bug."

Issun silently accepted Waka's reasoning, taking the blow to his pride. The artist hopped silently onto Amaterasu's head. Amaterasu herself led the way to the central room.

The trio encountered countless skirmishes while making their way inward. Waka rarely had to interfere, drawing his blade only when the number of enemies was overwhelming. Upon reaching the center hall, Waka withdrew the pendulum given to them by Kaguya.

The pendulum swung freely for a few moments before tugging towards the pit in the center of the room.

Issun snorted. "Figures. Irony always had a thing for us." Amaterasu huffed in agreement.

The white wolf quickly dispatched the imp at the crank. Waka gripped the crank, lowering them slowly downward. Amaterasu froze the platform in place.

Waka led the way as the group wound their way up the stairs to what used to be Orochi's throne room. It was not long before they could hear angry cries, echoing towards them from their destination. Waka sighed at the sounds, but did not lessen their pace.

Eventually the trio reached the top of the spiral path. For a moment they paused, gazing down at the fire-spiting creature they would be forced to confront.

"I had hoped that we would face no opposition," the prophet commented, "But I suppose that was asking for too much."

"Who's complaining? We get to kick demon butt!" the Poncle replied, bouncing with eagerness.

Waka glanced down at the wolf by his side. Her eyes were bright and her ears quivered in anticipation.

Silently, Waka replaced the pendulum in his pocket and drew his swords. He nodded at Amaterasu, and simultaneously, Tao master and wolf goddess leapt down towards their foe.

To Be Continued…

There might be a bit of a wait for the next chapter, as I shall attempt to write my first proper fight scene and it. Will. Not. Suck. (I hope…) So, just a warning.

Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

I'll just say now that I'm REALLY SORRY this took so long.

I'm also sorry the fight scene sucks, but it was the best I could do.

Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long.

Enjoy!

**NOTE!! **_Italics _ spirit speech

Restoring Faith

Chapter 8

As the two landed, Waka took the opportunity to gauge their enemy. It was not on the same level as Yami and Orochi, or even on that of Blight and the Spider Queen, yet it had to be taken seriously. Waka had learned that to underestimate an opponent – any opponent – could be disastrous.

The demon had the general form of bird. A falcon, Waka noted. It was not shocking, as birds had a strong affinity for fire. Yet there was something distinctly… off… about it…

Waka had no time to dwell on such thoughts further. The demon, finally noticing their presence, sent a stream of flames in their direction, forcing both wolf and man to leap out of them way. Waka drew his blade as Amaterasu readied her own weapon. They were tense, ready for a fight.

The fight which could not begin because Issun, that annoyance, was attempting to talk the thing to death. (Or so it appeared to Waka.)

"Give it up now, ya hunk of Yami spawn! There's no way you'll ever be able to defeat the Great Artist Issun and his pal, Ammy!"

Waka sighed in exasperation, placing a hand to his temples in a vain attempt to prevent the oncoming headache. Amaterasu dislodged Issun with a quick jerk of her head before trapping him in her jaws. Issun was less than pleased when he was released.

"Oi Ammy! What was that for?"

Amaterasu gave the Poncle a bark of disapproval. Grumbling, Issun settled back into the wolf's fur.

The demon had been temporarily distracted by the pair's confrontation. Waka seized the chance to launch a surprise attack. Leaping at the bird, he was able to land a solid blow before the creature pulled away.

Amaterasu leaped behind the demon, unleashing her glaive, chasing the bird back into Waka's waiting sword.

Unfortunately, the bird took to the skies, soaring far above the reach of either man or wolf. The fiery bird summed its energy and unleashed a rain of fire. Waka felt a surge of Celestial energy before a strong burst of wind extinguished the flames. Another surge of energy left the bird squawking on the ground.

Waka quickly attack the bird in a barrage of sword strokes. A bomb appeared at his side, and Waka leapt away, avoiding the explosion.

The demon, however, had no such luck and was caught by the full force of the blast. The explosion tore gashes in the creature. When the smoke cleared, Waka could see the blood oozing from the bird's wounds.

Sensing that the end of the fight was approaching, Waka and Amaterasu unleashed a joint attack. The bird let out a screech before finally stilling. Waka turned from the corpse, wiping the blood from his blade.

At a surprised bark from Amaterasu, Waka turned back. The corpse of the fire bird was disintegrating before his eyes. Suddenly, a surge of Celestial energy filled the pit. Waka was shocked to discover that the source of the surge was the decaying corpse of the demon, which soon vanished into thin air.

In its place there was a glorious glowing falcon. Its aura was similar to that of Sakuya's. It was one of the spirits of nature.

Amaterasu yipped happily. Waka felt a sense of relief that eased the worries that had been plaguing him since their return to Nippon. Pieces of nature had survived.

_You have released me. For that, you have my gratitude_

Waka bowed to the spirit. "It was our pleasure."

_I will also tell you what you must know in order to achieve your goal._

"What are ya talkin' about?" Issun exclaimed from Amaterasu's head.

_You wish to banish the evil from this land, do you not?_

Amaterasu nodded her head solemnly as she trotted to Waka's side. The falcon flapped its wings once to stay aloft before continuing.

_To kill the Raven you must soak you weapons in Father's tears. But in order to get to the place where He sleeps, you need a token from each of the four Spirit Guardians. I am one._

Waka looked at the bird in shock, shock that was shared by the Poncle alone. Amaterasu did not look surprised.

_To show you my thanks, I shall give you my part of the energy that will open the path to Father. You know how to use it Sister._

Amaterasu nodded again, and Waka realized that she had never seemed more human than in that moment. Allowing himself a moment of weakness, he pictured what she would look like in human form.

She would be beautiful. She was a goddess; of course she would be beautiful. Would her red markings remain? Would her white coloring carry over to a human form? Perhaps her hair would be white, or maybe her skin would be almost-white pale.

Waka fought back an irrational blush. It was silly. Ammy was a wolf. She would never be human. It was ridiculous.

But he couldn't help but wish that she could be. Then, at the least, she could reply to the numerous questions he asked her everyday.

However, there was no point on dwelling on that which could not be. Waka would have to settle for what he had.

The prophet watched silently as a ball of green energy emerged from the spirit and buried itself in Amaterasu. The wolf's aura glowed briefly before settling back to its original state.

With its task accomplished, the spirit vanished. Amaterasu turned to look at him expectantly. Waka was still for a few moments before he realized what she wanted.

Reaching into his pocket, the prophet drew out the pendulum given to them by Kaguya. The object tugged in the direction of one of the many piles of rubble scattered about. Amaterasu walked over and began digging through it. Eventually she emerged with an object clutched carefully in her jaws.

Waka took the object from his friend's mouth and carefully examined it. It appeared to be a normal black feather, but there were two things off about it. First, it was much too large to have come from any normal bird, even the sparrows of Sasa Sanctuary. Second, Waka could sense the large amount of demonic energy pouring from the feather. It was giving him a headache.

Silently he placed a small seal on the feather to reduce the amount of demonic energy it produced. Once the seal was complete, he placed the feather securely in his pocket before turning back to Amaterasu and Issun.

"How do we get out of here?"

Issun blinked at him before answering.

"Ya know, how _did_ we get out Ammy?"

The goddess snorted. She backed up a ways before running full-speed towards the spiral path and with a huge leap managed to alight upon the end of it. Waka quickly followed.

It was not until they reached the Shinshu Field that someone spoke.

"Oi, prophet," Issun grunted. "Any idea on where to go next?"

Waka glanced over at the artist. "Why would I know?"

"You _are_ a prophet. Shouldn't ya get some vision or somethin'?"

Waka rolled his eyes. "Contrary to popular belief, divine intervention in not _that_ convenient."

"So we have no idea where we're going?"

"None at all."

Issun glared at the prophet. "You should probably be more worried about that, ya know."

Waka winked at the Poncle, which only served to irritate Issun further.

"One of these days, my little bouncing friend, you will learn that no matter where you are, you are exactly where you are meant to be."

"Gah! Is this another one of your annoying prophecies?"

"That, little one, was merely an observation gained through life."

"Don't call me little!"

Amaterasu gave the wolf equivalent of a laugh before she trotted towards Kamiki Village, the two greatest friends she could have along side her.

To be continued…

That's all for chapter 8! Review please!


	9. Chapter 9

Yes, this took awhile. The good news is that I now have an outline for the next two spirits. The bad news is that this will probably do nothing to speed up updates.

The Wii version of Okami might, but that won't come out until April 15. ::Pouts::

Until then, I remain honored that you would choose to satisfy your Okami craving with my humble fic. Thank you.

On with the chapter!

Restoring Faith

Chapter 9

Waka silently stroked the bloodied side of his lupine friend as he waited for their pursuers to pass. The goddess whimpered in pain from the deep slash that ran from her right shoulder to her left hind leg. Issun, easily camouflaged in the green of Agata Forest, was perched outside the small cave as a lookout.

Waka's heart clenched as he listened to Amaterasu's labored breathing and he prayed that the villagers would tire of their search soon. The goddess' wound needed attention. She couldn't survive much longer without treatment. Goddess or not, trapped in her mortal wolf body, Amaterasu could be killed as easily as any other.

Keeping an eye on the cave entrance, Waka silently tore his pants into long bandages to quench the blood flow. Without any medical herbs, he could not heal the wounds, but preventing serious blood loss was within his capabilities.

As he leaned forward to put pressure on the wound, the prophet longed for his pack, containing the most useful healing herbs he had collected over the years. Much to his dismay, his pack and all their other items were still back at the campsite they were forced to flee from.

_-Begin Flashback-_

_Waka's good mood dissipated as the trio got closer to Kamiki. He could see Amaterasu tense, preparing for an attack. Silently, the moon warrior took the lead, subtly steering them towards the remains of Konohana._

_It took longer than Waka would have liked for Issun to catch on to their changing path._

"_Oi, Ammy! Why're we going this way? The village is back that way."_

_Ammy whimpered, head drooped to convey her sorrow at the state of the world. Waka was silently for a moment, mentally bemoaning his task of informing the reclusive Poncle._

"_Kamiki has become… hostile."_

_Issun glared up from the top of Amaterasu's head. Swallowing his pride, the artist politely requested more information._

"_What are ya talkin' about, ya half-baked prophet?"_

_Well, politely for Issun, anyway._

_Waka responded to the angry tone, snarling his reply in an attempt to relieve his frustration._

"_Look, just because YOU'VE been holed up for a hundred years, doesn't mean that that the world has remained the same. People are distrustful, hateful, and downright disgusting. Humanity is rotting!"_

"_Why you useless Tao master…!"_

_Amaterasu's silent disproval broke up the impending argument. The arguing pair fell into an unwilling silence that lasted as they set up camp. Waka volunteered for the first watch and settled himself in a nearby tree while the wolf and Poncle fell asleep by the fire._

_Upon reflection, Waka realized that it was probably his music that drew the villagers to them. Not long after midnight, an arrow landed near the fire, startling Amaterasu into wakefulness. Before the goddess could move, a villager slashed her flank._

_-End Flashback-_

Waka had gathered the wounded Amaterasu to his chest and made a dash for the safety of Shinshu Field. He had then been forced to flee for the tangle of Agata Forest when the villagers had continued their chase.

Hiding amidst Agata's foliage had not been Waka's first choice for shelter, but risking Amaterasu's life on the open expanses of Taka Pass was an even worse choice, so the trio had hidden in a small cave among one of the tree's roots.

Waka nearly fainted with relief when Issun returned with the news that the villagers had returned to Kamiki. Carefully gathering the wounded wolf in his arms, Waka made his way down to the river.

The prophet set Amaterasu down at the edge of the river, absent-mindedly smoothing her fur. Issun hopped up to wolf's ear, murmuring reassuring phrases. Waka removed his shirt to use as a water skin.

Waka hesitated as he bent down to the river. All his senses screamed danger, and though the surrounding area seemed empty, Waka drew his sword, silently entering the forest.

The prophet moved slowly through the tangled expanse, investigating every shadow and movement. He ventured a hundred or so meters before heading back to the river after finding nothing, senses still on an unreasonable high-alert.

Sounds from the riverside hated his pace. The prophet burst through the tree line, sword drawn, to be confronted by a pale blue, human-shaped figure bending over Amaterasu's prone form. Waka leapt forward, delivering a sharp slash at the figure, who promptly dodged it, and Waka landed in a ready stance behind it. The creature held up its hands, as a sign of peace.

"Moon Warrior, I have come to offer the aide of my people."

Waka scoffed under his breath. His sword did not waver.

"Now is not the time for talk. The humans are near." The figure beckoned with one hand. "Please, let us aid the Great Mother."

Issun sat uncharacteristically silent. His sword was also drawn, but the Poncle made no move to use it. Waka glared into the creature's eyes. With the experience gained from years of dealings with the unsavory of the human race, the Tao master carefully weighed the creature's expression and honesty, ever mindful of the increasing sound of pursuit that echoed from Agata's depths.

Finally satisfied, the prophet sheathed his sword and gathered the wolf goddess on his arms. Issun hopped silently to Waka's shoulder. Waka followed the creature to the source of the Agata River.

As the group disappeared into the darkness of the cave, Waka wondered to himself if they would ever see the forest again.

To Be Continued…

Yes, I am introducing a new race. This is mostly due to the lack of characters I am able to use from the game. There will be more new characters, but the focus will remain on Amaterasu, Waka, and Issun, so please bear with me.

Review!


	10. Chapter 10

Restoring Faith

Restoring Faith

Chapter 10

Waka peered forward in an attempt to make out the tunnels ahead. The trio had been following their rescuer through a maze of tunnels that formed the river's source, with only Amaterasu's holy aura for light. The path's treachery was so great that even Waka, despite his extensive martial arts training, was forced to grope for his balance as footholds shifted.

Their guide, Waka noted absently as he moved to avoid an overhanging rock that sprung out of the darkness, apparently had another method of sight, for its movements did not seem to be affected by the lack of visibility.

Waka's mind wandered as he recalled the creature's form as he had seen it on the riverbank. The face had long since faded from his memory. The feeling it invoked, a feeling of both sharpness and flowing, had been firmly impressed in his senses. The creature's coloring was a sea of purples and blues, matching the river that it assumedly called home. Breasts suggested it was female, but Waka reserved his judgement. Experience had assured him that most things were not as they appeared.

Suddenly a small spark of natural light pierced his senses. He blinked in incomprehension as his mind, used to the never-ending darkness, attempted to convince him that the light was merely a phantasm, a thing created out of longing. However, Amaterasu's ears perked up, and the goddess gave a hoarse bark of joy. Issun's natural green aura, having long since vanished within the murkiness of their surroundings, returned full-force, the Poncle bouncing in anticipation.

The group approached the light, and it soon became apparent that light was in fact the cave's exit. An odd cascade of light rippled over the prophet's skin, giving him a pale blue coloring as he stepped through the opening, raising one hand to shield his eyes from the sudden brightness.

Removing his hand revealed an underground lake surrounded by various types of buildings made of a curious white stone that reflected the light in such as way that that stone appeared to be flowing like a liquid.

The lake itself held only one landmark, a large building floating in its center. Despite the fact that it was at the mercy of the waters, it never seemed to rock with the waves. The building itself seemed to grow out of the lake, made of corals and sponges of every color.

All around were the inhabitants of the lake. They held the same coloring as the deep parts of the lake, a kind of purplish-blue, with fluid purple hair and a single blue fin parting their scalp. They were too far off to make out much else.

Their guide led them silently to the largest of the shore-dwellings and motioned for them to enter. Man, wolf and sprite passed through the door silently.

They were greeted by a long hall, pillars on either side of the rugged main path, many doors branching off. A new water-creature approached and led them down the long rug to the other end of the room.

Before them was a large statue, enshrined in a white marble fountain. The statue seemed to depict a large, fish-like man, wielding a deadly sword at an unseen enemy. The man was dressed in robes that fell to his knees, bound around his waist by a strip of seaweed. Fins flared from the man's writs and head, making him a male counterpart to the apparently female creatures surrounding them.

Before the statue sat a high-backed chair, draped with sea plants and decked out in precious sea-jewels. Upon it sat a wizened, withered fish-woman. Their guide bowed before the wrinkled form, rose, and departed.

The elderly fish-creature beckoned them forward with one gnarled hand. Waka approached with a bow of respect, and then submitted to the fish-creature's inspection. Eyes raked up and down his body, shifting then to Amaterasu, and finally to the Poncle perched on her head.

Silence filled the hall, and Amaterasu shifted uncomfortably. Waka's legs had sized up before the creature spoke.

"Welcome outsiders. You are the first of your kind to be admitted to the home of the Nymphs, servants to the great water god, Suijin." The fish-creature, or nymph, Waka guessed, glared at the trio, as if they were intruding upon sacred grounds. Which, he supposed, they were.

When the nymph made no further conversation, Waka attempted to ease the tension.

"We are most grateful for your tribe's hospitality. Your kinsman has saved us from an untimely demise." Waka glanced at the elderly nymph, attempting to gauge her reaction. The creature sat, unreadable. "We shall leave as soon as Amaterasu has completely healed."

"You will do no such thing."

Waka stared in shock at the nymph's sudden declaration.

"We know of your quest, Waka of the moon tribe. All the rivers across Nippon are our ears. We know what it is that you seek. The power of the water spirit resides here, past a series of trials. If you can earn the right, you may take the spirit."

Amaterasu barked gratefully, but her bark carried an undertone of weariness. Waka turned to her, concern shown plainly on his features.

"Are you all right, Ammy?"

The nymph elder, clapped her hands, and another nymph appeared from the shadows. The nymph bowed and beckoned for the trio to follow her. Waka turned to the nymph elder questioningly.

"This is Undine. She will take to you to where you can get food and rest. Once you are refreshed, I shall explain the trials." The elder reached out to smooth Amaterasu's fur. "Sleep well, Great Mother."

Waka and Amaterasu slowly followed the nymph, Amaterasu's energy almost spent.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Once the strange water-creature had left the trio to themselves, Waka set himself to taking stock of their supplies, every so often glancing at the wounded goddess. Upon arriving at their lodgings, Amaterasu had immediately slumped on top of set of blankets no doubt provided for that purpose and hadn't moved since.

Waka had moved on to polishing his sword out of nerves when Issun spoke.

"I think there's somethin' wrong with Ammy."

Waka looked up at the Poncle's declaration.

"Of course there is," the prophet replied with irritation. "You wouldn't feel like bouncing if you had a hole in your side." Waka turned back to his sword, sharply striking the sword on its whetstone.

"Nah. It's more than that." Issun shook his head. "Normally, by this point furball would've healed and be bouncing around with that stupid look on her face. She's taken' too long to heal."

Waka looked over to where the wounded goddess. The white wolf was lying curled on the only bed-like structure in the room, sleeping soundly. Her fur was stained red with the drying blood the wolf had been too tired to clean. As Waka watched, her breathing seemed labored. The prophet frowned.

"I might've be able to do something about that wound, but all out herbs were in the pack left in Kamiki."

A soft ruffle indicated the curtain covering the door of the room being pulled back. Their nymph guide entered quietly and bowed.

"Oh Holy Mother, I thank you for the honor of serving you." She glanced nervously at Waka, who was testing the edge of his sword. "May I offer you the services of the healers?"

Amaterasu looked up from the bed and gave a quiet affirmative yip. Pulling herself carefully to her feet, the goddess slowly made her way over to the nymph. Waka rose to follow her, but sat back when Amaterasu sent him a sharp glare. Man and Poncle watched silently as the pair left the tent.

"Can we trust these fish people with furball that injured?" Issun glanced over at the prophet, veiled worry in his eyes. Waka set his jaw, replying with reluctance.

"Do we have a choice?"

To be continued…

Just as an added note, if you're wondering what the nymphs look like, I based the description off of the summon spirit Undine from Tales of Symphonia for the GameCube.


End file.
